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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22653790">Wanna Uncover You (And Make You Shine)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/inpiniteu/pseuds/inpiniteu'>inpiniteu</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NU'EST</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Aspiring Actor Minki, Barista Aron, Fluff, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 14:28:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,220</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22653790</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/inpiniteu/pseuds/inpiniteu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Aron shouldn’t have favorite customers but Choi Minki is special. He's a <i>star</i>.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aaron Kwak | Aron/Choi Minki | Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Wanna Uncover You (And Make You Shine)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feyatsirk/gifts">Feyatsirk</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Dedicated to Kayla, who requested some Aren. Thank you for all the support you give me and for believing in my abilities! </p><p>Have a good time reading!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aron shouldn’t have favorite customers. It’s not entirely professional, but then again, he’s not obvious about it either so it's alright, he guesses. </p><p>No one knows about it, too, so there’s no need to overthink. He’s always been good at pretending, after all. Faking smiles, offering advice to distressed patrons and acting as if he had experienced it all, Kwak Aron knows how to do all that perfectly.</p><p>This is exactly why he had turned out to be an excellent journalism student, and why everyone believes he’s alright.</p><p>If he can pretend he’s happy with his life, with being a college drop out who is now enjoying serving coffee and cakes, why wouldn’t he be able to hide the fact that he’s got a favorite customer? He can and he is. </p><p>“One choco mint shake,” he states, putting the tall glass on the table and smiling as the guy looks up at him. “And one slice of red velvet cake.”</p><p>“I haven’t ordered any—,” his favorite customer—Minki as he has learned his favorite customer's name after a few chats—starts but Aron cuts him off quickly. “Don't worry, it’s on the house.”</p><p>Minki's mouth opens but then, he just nods. "Oh. Thank you." Aron is about to go back behind the counter but something in Minki’s eyes stops him in his tracks. The light he can usually find in them is there, but dimmed.</p><p>Aron doesn’t like it. He doesn’t like it at all and the situation seems even worse than what he thought.</p><p>He should go back behind the counter and do his job but his feet won't move. Really, what’s the worst that could happen if he was to stay by Minki’s side? Would he lose his job?  Would he even get caught?</p><p>He doesn’t know, but no matter what ends up happening to him, Aron thinks it will be worth it. Trying to bring back a smile on the most gorgeous face he’s ever seen is worth it and more.</p><p>So, he goes ahead with his plan, sitting down in front of Minki and hoping for the best. Once again, there’s no need to worry over what hasn’t happened, and he’ll only start doing so if there’s a reason to.</p><p>The café is rather empty, anyway, and the only customers there, a couple sitting near the window, are too busy drowning into each other’s eyes to care about anything else. That's the good side of being a barista, blending in the background until people realize they need you.</p><p>He tilts his head towards the cake, noticing Minki hasn't touched it yet. “You look like you need it,” he says in a soft voice, not wanting to sound overbearing but wanting to make a point. </p><p>On top of pretending, he’s always been told he's good at reading people. Perhaps he is, or perhaps, Choi Minki is just easy to read. </p><p>Aron believes it's probably a bit of both.</p><p>Indeed, Minki with his Korean accent that coats his words and reminds Aron of <i>home</i> and the heavily highlighted scripts he’s carrying in his satchel bag, is like an open book.</p><p>It’s a good thing that Aron loves to read, then, and that he favors mystery books because Minki is also full of mysteries. Mysteries he’s craving to uncover.</p><p>Mysteries, such as why a Korean kid would come to Los Angeles and go through the trouble of learning English when he could easily be an actor in Korea, why anyone would take a difficult path when easier roads are possible.</p><p>All these things are what makes Choi Minki fascinating in Aron’s opinion. That, and how bright his smile is. Usually, at least.</p><p>It’s that bright smile Aron wants to see again as he jokes and hopes for a reaction. “Eat before it gets cold.”</p><p>It works and Minki cracks a smile, rolling his eyes at the same time. “It’s <i>cake</i>, it can't get cold.“ He deadpans, but he’s smiling as he grabs his fork and digs in.</p><p>“Good?” Aron asks. Minki only gives him a thumbs up in reply, cheeks puffed up cutely as he eats. Adorable, really, not that Aron would say that out loud. It's not the right time, but maybe someday—</p><p>The next few minutes are spent like this, with Minki enjoying the slice of cake while Aron watches him and waits for him to open up.</p><p>Aron is convinced it's going to happen, and it does. Minki drops the fork on a now empty plate and confesses in a small voice,  “I don’t know if you noticed but I want to be an actor and—“ Aron hums and Minki doesn’t look surprised, continuing, “—I went to this audition, a small role really, but it seemed like a good opportunity. They—” </p><p>“They?” Aron repeats as Minki seems lost in thought.</p><p>“They didn’t even let me audition. Took a look at me and said they didn’t need someone so andr—“ He seems to struggle with the word so Aron comes to his help, suggesting, “Androgynous?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Minki confirms and Aron doesn’t miss how he seems to be gripping his fork tighter, his knuckles white around it.</p><p>It's sad but he can’t say he’s surprised. The reality behind the glamour of L.A. is ugly, and the American Dream is truly that—a <i>dream</i>. Still, he knows that Minki deserves better.</p><p>“Are you disappointed?” He asks, looking straight into Minki’s eyes. He would have all the reasons to be. </p><p>Minki’s answer, though, is not one he expected. “No, I’m not.” </p><p>Aron blinks but Minki is already elaborating before he can even think of asking what he means, so Aron just listens and takes in the way Minki’s eyes are burning with a passion so fierce he has no trouble believing that one day, the world will bow down to Choi Minki.</p><p>“I’m angry,” Minki explains. “Angry because I deserve better than being judged on my looks. I’m a good actor and if only they would give me a chance—”</p><p>He heaves a sigh, falling silent and rubbing his hands through his hair again and down his face. “I know I can do it, hyung.”</p><p><i>Hyung</i>. The honorific term makes Aron smile softly.</p><p>Minki had immediately started to use it after learning he was older. Aron had told him multiple times that it was alright, that it was America, not Korea, that he didn’t have to but Minki is stubborn. </p><p>Stubborn or probably missing Korea more than he wants to admit it.  Aron can't blame him, he understands that feeling quite well, and he’s happy to be Minki’s anchor in this new home away from home.</p><p>“You know what, Minki-yah?” Aron says, switching to Korean and surprising Minki in the process, having him blink in surprise.</p><p>His Korean is heavily accented, but still, Minki seems to be able to understand him. Good, he thinks, he's not making a fool of himself. </p><p>Minki got a slice of cake to cheer him up, but Aron thinks he also needs a piece of home right now. “I believe you can do it, too.”</p><p>If Aron thought Minki's smile was bright before, it's nothing compared to how blinded he is by it now. Oh yes, Choi Minki was born to be a star and Kwak Aron, in all his human glory, is enamored.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading, I appreciate it. You can find me on <a href="http://twitter.com/astropicals">Twitter</a>.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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